Carbon monoxide hydrogenation reactions are well known. For example, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis processes, or processes for the catalytic conversion of synthesis gas, i.e., a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, to high quality distillate fuels or mixtures of C.sub.5 + liquid hydrocarbons are well known. For example, the Group VIII non-noble metals, iron, cobalt, and nickel have been widely used to catalyze Fischer-Tropsch reactions, and these metals have been deposited on various supports, and promoted with various other metals. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,663, e.g., there is disclosed a process of this type which utilizes a highly active catalyst composition constituted of cobalt-rhenium-titania, Co--Re--TiO.sub.2. This catalyst is made, e.g., by impregnating a concentrated aqueous solution of cobalt nitrate and perrhenic acid onto a titania support by the conventional incipient wetness method, drying, and then calcining to decompose the nitrate salt to the oxide. Several important functions are served by the rhenium. A major function is served by rhenium during the calcination of the catalyst, during which cobalt nitrate decomposes to cobalt oxide, in that it causes the cobalt oxide to become more highly dispersed. It also preserves the cobalt oxide in highly dispersed state under high temperature oxidizing conditions, such as is found useful for regenerating cobalt catalysts. It is also a function of the rhenium to lower the temperature of the reduction of cobalt oxide to the zero valence state, which is required to achieve full activity. Rhenium makes it easier to more fully reduce the cobalt. High dispersal, and full reduction of the cobalt results in a more active catalyst. This result however does not come without cost, for rhenium is a relatively expensive commodity. Thus, there exists a need for means to better disperse the cobalt with a lesser amount of rhenium, find means for recovering the rhenium, or find other more available, less expensive materials for promoting the dispersion, and reduction of the metals.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,914,557 there is disclosed the use of carboxylic acids, e.g., malic acid, as complexing agents in the preparation of supported metal catalysts. A solution of a "metallic-organo complex" is evaporated onto a support as an adherent sticky mass, or coating, forming a catalyst the coating of which does not readily flake or dust off. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,409,131 there is disclosed the preparation of supported catalysts containing cobalt or nickel and molybdenum made by impregnation of the support with stable solutions of cobalt or nickel complexed with carboxylic acid, e.g., citric acid, compatible with ammonium molybdate. U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,449 discloses a process for preparing catalysts wherein a support is premoistened in a first step with a carboxylic acid, and second step wherein the support is impregnated with a solution containing molybdenum, nickel and phosphorus. In accordance with U.S. Pat. No. 4,568,450 codeposition of metals and carboxylic acid is made from a single solution in forming the supported catalyst.